Motor control apparatus and method of operating the same

Abstract

A motor control apparatus receives a DC power source through a DC terminal and is coupled to a motor. The motor control apparatus includes a brake, an inverter, and a controller. The brake is coupled to the inverter. The brake includes an energy-consuming component and a switch component. The controller controls the inverter to convert the DC power source to drive the motor. When the controller determines that the DC power source is interrupted, the controller stops controlling the inverter, and the switch component is self-driven turned on so that a back electromotive force generated by the motor is consumed through the energy-consuming component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor control apparatus receiving a DC power source through a DC terminal, and coupled to a motor, the motor control apparatus comprising:
 a brake comprising an energy-consuming component, a switch component, a first end, and a second end; wherein the first end is coupled to a high-voltage terminal of the DC terminal, and the second end is coupled to a low-voltage terminal of the DC terminal; the energy-consuming component is coupled between the first end and the second end through the switch component, 
 an inverter coupled to the first end and the second end, 
 a controller coupled to the DC terminal, and configured to control the inverter to convert the DC power source to drive the motor, and 
 a power supply, coupled to the DC terminal, 
 wherein the switch component is a three-way switch having a first contact, a second contact, a third contact, and a magnet-exciting coil; a state between the first contact and the second contact is a normally-open state, and a state between the second contact and the third contact is a normally-closed state; the first contact is coupled to the high-voltage terminal or the low-voltage terminal, and the second contact is coupled to the inverter; the third contact is coupled to the energy-consuming component, and the magnet-exciting coil is coupled to the power supply, 
 wherein when the controller determines that the DC power source is interrupted, the controller stops controlling the inverter and the switch component is self-driven turned on so that a back electromotive force generated by the motor is consumed through the energy-consuming component. 
 
     
     
       2. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the DC power source is not interrupted, the power supply works with power electricity, and the power supply excites the switch component through the magnet-exciting coil so that the first contact is coupled to the second contact. 
     
     
       3. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , when the first contact is coupled to the second contact, the switch component is in a driven state so that the motor is driven to rotate. 
     
     
       4. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , when the first contact is coupled to the second contact, a path between the high-voltage terminal and the inverter is connected so that the DC power source is provided to the inverter through the switch component. 
     
     
       5. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , when the first contact is coupled to the second contact, a path between the low-voltage terminal and the inverter is connected so that the DC power source is provided to the inverter through the switch component. 
     
     
       6. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein when the second contact is coupled to the third contact, the switch component is in a brake state so that the motor is braked to stop rotating. 
     
     
       7. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , when the second contact is coupled to the third contact, a path between the energy-consuming component and the inverter is connected so that the back electromotive force is provided to the energy-consuming component through the inverter and the switch component. 
     
     
       8. The motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the DC power source is interrupted, the power supply does not work without power electricity, and the switch component is in the normally-closed state that the second contact is coupled to the third contact. 
     
     
       9. A method of operating a motor control apparatus, the motor control apparatus receiving a DC power source through a DC terminal and coupled to a motor; the motor control apparatus comprising a brake, an inverter, and a power supply coupled to the DC terminal; the brake comprising an energy-consuming component and a switch component coupled between a high-voltage terminal and a low-voltage terminal of the DC terminal; the switch component is a three-way switch having a first contact, a second contact, a third contact, and a magnet-exciting coil; a state between the first contact and the second contact is a normally-open state, and a state between the second contact and the third contact is a normally-closed state; the first contact is coupled to the high-voltage terminal or the low-voltage terminal, and the second contact is coupled to the inverter; the third contact is coupled to the energy-consuming component, and the magnet-exciting coil is coupled to the power supply, the method comprising steps of:
 controlling the inverter to convert the DC power source into an output power source to drive the motor, 
 determining whether the DC power source is interrupted to decide whether to stop controlling the inverter, 
 stopping controlling the inverter when the DC power source is interrupted, and 
 self-driven turning on the switch component when the DC power source is interrupted so that a back electromotive force generated by the motor is consumed through the energy-consuming component. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , the method further comprises a step of:
 controlling the switch component to switch to a driven state when the DC power source is not interrupted and the power supply works with power electricity so that the inverter is coupled to the high-voltage terminal of the DC terminal through the switch component. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a path between the high-voltage terminal and the inverter is connected so that the DC power source is provided to the inverter through the switch component to drive the motor to rotate. 
     
     
       12. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , the method further comprises a step of:
 controlling the switch component to switch to a driven state when the DC power source is not interrupted and the power supply works with power electricity so that the inverter is coupled to the low-voltage terminal of the DC terminal through the switch component. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a path between the low-voltage terminal and the inverter is connected so that the DC power source is provided to the inverter through the switch component to drive the motor to rotate. 
     
     
       14. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , the method further comprises a step of:
 controlling the switch component to switch to a brake state when the DC power source is interrupted and the power supply does not work without power electricity so that the inverter is coupled to the energy-consuming component through the switch component. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of operating the motor control apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein a path between the energy-consuming component and the inverter is connected so that the back electromotive force is provided to the energy-consuming component through the inverter and the switch component.